Which wounds need stitches

Platelets thicken the blood, and allow it to dry. Dried blood acts like glue holding the skin together until the wound heals. But if movement reopens it, the healing process takes longer. Short answer, yes. The skin should close up with a small amount of pressure. As stated above, this helps the blood turn to glue. If you do, you have gone quite deep.

Joints, as you know, have less insulation. They have less because insulation prevents free movement. The fingers, elbows, and knees have less skin coverage than most solid bones. Most cuts or injuries in these places need a medical examination at the very least. This can be a sign of something being in the early stages of infection.

And when they do, seconds matter. All our emergency departments have a full-time staff of emergency specialists at the ready 24 hours a day.

We use advanced technology to diagnose and treat your condition and coordinate with your doctor to provide the best care possible. Share this on: No matter how careful we are, scrapes and cuts are bound to happen. Never Miss a Beat! Tap Click to Join! Wounds on the face, lips, or any area where you are worried about scarring for cosmetic reasons. Wounds on the eyelids often need treatment for both functional and cosmetic reasons. Wounds longer than 0. Wounds that continue to bleed after 15 minutes of direct pressure.

Treatment by a doctor may not be needed for: Wounds with smooth edges that stay together during normal movement of the affected body part. Shallow wounds less than 0. Most puncture wounds. The wounds tend to be smaller, and treatment does not speed healing or reduce scarring.

The wounds tend to be deeper, narrower, and harder to clean. Closing a puncture wound with stitches, staples, or skin adhesive may seal bacteria into it, which increases the risk of infection. If a puncture wound becomes infected, it will usually drain better and heal faster if it is not closed with stitches, staples, or skin adhesive.

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